[Closed] Becoming Vegan!? Who's done it?

I find lunches hardest when working in an office. Evening meals are fine, I am happy cooking, but I never manage to make the effort to cook or prepare meals to take in for lunch and the easy option of sandwiches can get a bit boring. I also find I like flavourful food, adding lots of garlic or spices, which can be a bit too smelly for shared offices!

Been Vegan for 3 years now. Probably best to try and ease your way into it. You'll learn a lot as you go on....

I always manage to eat something in most places, even if I go out.

Don't let anyone convince you that you can't be fit and healthy as a vegan. I've raced a number of full CX seasons as a vegan, and I'm faster than I used to be

Good luck!

MrsSalmon is vegan. As mentioned above it's not that big a deal in your own kitchen but can lead to some very tedious times if you want to go out to eat (especially somewhere nice for a special occasion). You can also pretty much forget picking something up at train stations etc. So you need to always be a few steps ahead if you're going to be away from home and accept that your options for eating out socially are going to be pretty limited. Obvious potential for problems abroad as well.

Sometimes it's also a bit frustrating if you get home late and can't just have, say, a tin of soup or something. Everything has to be prepared, obviously better organisation helps here though.

As for cost I don't think it necessarily [i]needs[/i] to be much more expensive, but veganism with a preference for organic produce can start to add up a bit. If you rely heavily on things like vegan sausages etc. that could be a bit pricey too.

Nutritionally I can't say I've noticed I'm lacking in anything since effectively becoming 95% vegan! We don't take any supplements or anything.

Depending on how strict you are, you might be surprised by how many products have milk in too. You need to check the ingredients on pretty much everything!

I work with a strict vegan (she takes about 8 pills everyday and has an iron deficiency) so maybe she's crap at it 🙂 although she has been doing it for years

Honey is on the banned list too, I don't understand that one but apparently its because bees are "slaves" ........ 🙄

Just out of interest, because someone posted this up as a suggestion for my ideal tea (minus the spinach, natch) , is this the most un-vegan thing that has ever existed? I think it'd take some beating! 😀

Boxing Day Park Run was fun in Brighton, quite a few Vegan Runners in their vests turned up and cheerily left the turkey eaters for dead. 🙂

I go back to my view that it isn't and shouldn't be a religion or doctrine though. If today you eat an all vegan diet you've made I think a useful contribution to animal welfare, to the environment and if you take a modicum of care your health.
I've only ever used the label vegan as a matter of convenience, sometimes it just means I know I'll get something to eat I like, there are a lot of things with dairy in I'm not too keen on but if it's vegan I'm pretty sure I'll like it.

I find lunches hardest when working in an office. Evening meals are fine, I am happy cooking, but I never manage to make the effort to cook or prepare meals to take in for lunch and the easy option of sandwiches can get a bit boring. I also find I like flavourful food, adding lots of garlic or spices, which can be a bit too smelly for shared offices!

I was always terrible at remembering to make/bring sandwiches, but have got much better since making salad boxes instead of sandwiches. As a base I have chickpeas or lentils with olive oil and balsamic vinegar plus black pepper and either dried herbs or chillies. On top I have some mix of sliced up red peppers, mangetout, sugarsnap peas, and baby sweetcorn, plus some salad leaves. There's a revolving and varied mix of extras that go on top; today it was avocado, sauerkraut and harissa paste.

I go back to my view that it isn't and shouldn't be a religion or doctrine though.
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I've only ever used the label vegan as a matter of convenience,

This. Labels are only of benefit for other people (and the single biggest challenge you'll face in going vegan / veggie isn't getting nutrients or working out what's safe, it's putting up with everyone else whining about it).

Eat what you want, when you want. Simples.

I've been vegan for about 4 years now after being long term veggie beforehand.

I eat lovely varied tasy food and I don't miss anything. Be prepared for stupid comments from 'normal' people even if you are just quietly doing your own thing, anyone being different is threatening for people.

Also steer clear of vegan facebook groups, mostly pious vegan policing idiots.

It is a bit of a pain eating out some places if you can't plan ahead but that's not a reason to follow something you believe in.

Anyone got a good website for veggie meals that are quick and easy to make? And what do you do for lunches at work? Cheese sandwiches only go so far!

Not vegan but considering going mostly veggie for a change. Seems healthier more than anything.

I work with a strict vegan (she takes about 8 pills everyday and has an iron deficiency) so maybe she's crap at it although she has been doing it for years

I take a b12 supplement erractically when I remember, had a medical last week and all my levels were normal and iron on the high side of normal.

It's quite possible to be a junk food vegan though!

Honey is on the banned list too, I don't understand that one but apparently its because bees are "slaves"

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